Download Course Specifications

Course
Specifications
Valid as from the academic year 2017-2018
Electromagnetism (C003980)
Course size
Credits 5.0
(nominal values; actual values may depend on programme)
Study time 140 h
Contact hrs
37.5 h
Course offerings in academic year 2017-2018
A (semester 1)
Lecturers in academic year 2017-2018
Offered in the following programmes in 2017-2018
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
crdts
5
offering
A
Teaching languages
Dutch
Keywords
Basic Physics, Electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic oscillations, waves and radition
Position of the course
The course unit Electromagnetism fits in the track physical chemistry. It is the third part
of general fundamental physics, which consists of three major, all-semester courses: I.
Mechanics, II. Waves and Optics and Thermal Physics, and III. Electromagnetism. The
objective of this third part is to gradually develop the theory of electromagnetism in a
mathematical framework, emanating from the very initial experiments in the domain of
electrostatics on the one hand, and those in the area of magnetism on the other hand.
This approach finally results in the four fundamental laws of Maxwell, which are used
for the classical description electromagnetic waves. Numerous relevant examples are
presented, discussed and explained, commonly on the basis of elementary
mathematics. The logical and consistent build-up of the theory is stressed in the
course, also showing the importance of mathematical formalisms in physics. Besides
the transfer of knowledge, the student is also stimulated to reason as a scientist, i.e.
how general theories can be deduced from experiments and how they van again be
applied in practically useful cases.
Contents
Theory:
- Electric charge and electric field
- Gauss's law
- Electric potential
- Capacitance, dielectrics, electric energy storage
- Electric currents and resistance
- DC circuits
- Magnetism
- Sources of magnetic field
- Elektromagnetic induction and Faraday's law
- Inductance, electromagnetic oscillations and AC circuits
- Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, relation to optics and spectroscopy
Exercises: guided problem solving of exercises that implement the theory, highlighting
the practical implementations of the theory.
Initial competences
Students starting the second bachelor chemistry have already acquired basic
knowledge of Physics (mechanics, waves, optics) and Mathematics (fundamental
methods, trigonometry, calculus), which are an essential basis for the goals of this
course. Students should therefor have followed the following courses in the chemistry
(Draft -- caution, this is not the final version)
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program, or courses with an equivalent content in other programs: "Physics I:
mechanics" and "Physics II: waves, optics and thermal physics" and "Mathematics I:
fundamental methods".
Remark: simultaneously with the course Electromagnetism, the course Applied
Mathematics is also lectured in the second bachelor chemistry, dealing with topics such
as line integrals and vector analysis, which are also used in the Electromagnetism
course.
Final competences
1 Have the ability to describe and analyse electrical and magnetical phenomena.
2 Have the ability to use and apply the various physics laws of electricity and
1 magnetism.
3 Be able to recognise physical misconceptions in the popular media.
4 Have insight in orders of magnitude of physical quantities and measurement errors.
Conditions for credit contract
Access to this course unit via a credit contract is determined after successful competences
assessment
Conditions for exam contract
This course unit cannot be taken via an exam contract
Teaching methods
Lecture, seminar: coached exercises
Learning materials and price
Cost: Approximately 70 euro
• D. C. Giancoli, Natuurkunde, deel 2, 4e editie: Elektriciteit, magnetisme, optica en
• moderne fysica (English version available)
• Slides used during the theory and exercise lessons are made available for the
• students through Minerva.
• Formularium, available through Minerva.
References
See teaching and learning material.
Course content-related study coaching
Guided problem solving. Possibility to ask questions before and after the theory lessons
and electronically (Minerva). Feed back after announcement of the global evaluation
results.
Evaluation methods
end-of-term evaluation
Examination methods in case of periodic evaluation during the first examination period
Written examination with open questions, written examination with multiple choice questions
Examination methods in case of periodic evaluation during the second examination period
Written examination with open questions, written examination with multiple choice questions
Examination methods in case of permanent evaluation
Possibilities of retake in case of permanent evaluation
not applicable
Extra information on the examination methods
Periodic evaluation: written exam (closed book with possibility to use an available
formularium) with open questions and/or multiple-choice questions with standard
setting and problem-solving as open questions and/or multiple-choice questions with
standard setting.
Calculation of the examination mark
Evaluation for theory and problem-solving at the end of semester to probe the students'
knowledge and insight in the theory (60%) and the ability to apply the basic laws of
electromagnetism to practical problems (40%).
(Draft -- caution, this is not the final version)
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